Origin
Madison, WI
Late night in Madison on Sunday
Local time
5:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Madison, WI to Cottage Grove, WI
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
25m
Distance
13.9 mi
22 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 23m
★
6 AM
0h 25m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 26m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Madison, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Cottage Grove, WI
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition between Madison and Cottage Grove, this 13.9-mile trip is an ideal short-haul option. You can expect to reach your destination in about 25 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day journey. Budgeting for this drive is remarkably simple, as you will likely spend only about $2 on fuel. Navigating through the Midwest, you will transition from the city streets of Madison onto the interstate system. Because of the short duration, there is no need to worry about overnight accommodations or multiple rest stops. It is a straightforward, practical route that gets you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 94 | 3.5 mi | 3m |
| WI 30 | 3.2 mi | 4m |
| West Johnson Street | 2.2 mi | 7m |
| East Washington Avenue | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| North Main Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| County Highway N | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| North Baldwin Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| North Brooks Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 94
— 3.5 mi, about 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Madison, WI and Cottage Grove, WI.
1
Start on CTH MS
317 ft
·
18 sec
·
University Avenue
2
Turn left onto North Brooks Street
432 ft
·
26 sec
·
North Brooks Street
3
Turn left onto West Johnson Street
2.2 mi
·
7 min
·
West Johnson Street
4
Turn right onto North Baldwin Street
0.2 mi
·
40 sec
·
North Baldwin Street
5
Turn left onto US 151
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
East Washington Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward WI 30 East
7
Merge onto WI 30
3.2 mi
·
4 min
·
WI 30
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 94
3.5 mi
·
3 min
·
I 94
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Exit 244
Toward CTH N: Sun Prairie, Cottage Grove
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork
248 ft
·
6 sec
11
Turn straight onto CTH N
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
County Highway N
12
Continue on CTH N
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
13
Arrive at destination
CTH N
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 11.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North Brooks Street
Turn left onto North Brooks Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Johnson Street
Turn left onto West Johnson Street
Navigation decision point
4
2.3 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
North Baldwin Street
Turn right onto North Baldwin Street
Navigation decision point
5
4.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
WI 30
Merge onto WI 30
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
11.2 mi into trip
|
~21m in
Take the exit toward CTH N: Sun Prairie, Cottage Grove
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 244
Toward CTH N: Sun Prairie, Cottage Grove
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.17 one way
$4.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
5 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $2.39 | $4.77 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.67 | $5.35 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.07 | $6.14 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.2 | 0 | $1.46 | $0.67 |
| Efficient EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.22 | $0.56 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 5.6 | 0 | $1.95 | $0.89 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Cottage Grove, WI
Late night in Cottage Grove on Sunday
Local time
5:06 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
25m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This trip offers a mixed driving profile, balancing local navigation with faster highway transit. You will begin on West Johnson Street before transitioning onto WI 30 and eventually merging onto I-94. Roughly 48% of your time behind the wheel will be spent on the highway, providing a predictable rhythm to the journey. While the longest uninterrupted stretch is 3.5 miles on I-94, the road conditions shift as you move away from the urban environment. Expect a blend of city traffic and open interstate driving that keeps the pace brisk throughout the 25-minute transit.
48% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 3.5 mi on I 94.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Brooks Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 13.9 miles you will encounter 8 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Brooks Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West Johnson Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (North Baldwin Street): Navigation decision point.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Madison, WI to Cottage Grove, WI, road signs begin pointing toward Cth N: Sun Prairie along the way.
Cth N: Sun Prairie
11.2 mi in
|
~21m
About the Cities
Starting in Madison, WI
Full guide →Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, is situated on an isthmus between Lake Mendota and Lake Monona. As the anchor of the Greater Madison Area, it is home to the University of Wisconsin — Madison, one of the premier universities in the United States. It is a vibrant city known for its natural beauty, vibrant cultural scene, and academic excellence. Visitors can enjoy a variety of activities such as hiking, biking, and exploring the city's many museums and art galleries. The city is also known for its diverse and delicious food options.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 25m. Total distance: 13.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
25m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (48%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 3.5 miles on I 94. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Cottage Grove, WI before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (North Brooks Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West Johnson Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (North Baldwin Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cottage Grove, WI before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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